Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Sign Sterling Brown To 10-Day Contract

January 6th, 2023 at 12:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:56pm: The Lakers have officially signed Brown to a 10-day contract, according to the team.

The first recipient of a 10-day deal in 2023, Brown will be eligible for the team’s next five games — his contract will expire after the Lakers play Philadelphia next Sunday (January 15).

11:26am: The Lakers are “progressing toward” signing free agent wing Sterling Brown to a 10-day contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Brown, 27, is playing with the Raptors 905 after being waived by the Thunder before the start of the season. He has appeared in six games for the G League team.

Brown spent last season with the Mavericks, averaging 3.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per night while seeing limited playing time in 49 games. During the offseason, he was sent to the Rockets as part of the Christian Wood trade and was later shipped to Oklahoma City in an eight-player deal.

The Lakers currently have a roster opening, so no corresponding move would have to be made before signing Brown.

Lakers’ Walker, Reaves Each Out At Least Two Weeks

January 6th, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers shared some bad news on Friday, announcing that two of their rotation players will be sidelined for at least the next couple weeks due to injuries.

As Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet tweets, Lonnie Walker has been diagnosed with left knee tendinitis and Austin Reaves has a left hamstring strain. The plan is for the team to reevaluate both players in approximately two weeks, Trudell adds.

While neither injury will have as significant an on-court impact as the foot ailment that’s keeping star big man Anthony Davis on the shelf, Walker and Reaves have been the Lakers’ most-used players this season outside of Davis and LeBron James.

Walker has started all 32 games he has played for the Lakers this season and has averaged 29.8 minutes per contest, the club’s third-highest mark. He’s enjoying a career year so far, with 14.7 PPG on .455/.384/.875 shooting.

Reaves, who ranks fourth on the team with 28.9 minutes per game, has averaged 10.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on .488/.360/.896 shooting in his 36 appearances.

With the two guards out of action until at least later this month, the Lakers will have to lean more heavily on the likes of Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schröder, and Patrick Beverley, as well as Juan Toscano-Anderson, who started Wednesday’s game. Kendrick Nunn and Max Christie will also move up the depth chart and could have a shot at cracking the rotation.

Troy Brown is another candidate for an increased role, though he’s dealing with a left quad strain and has been downgraded from questionable to out for Friday’s game vs. Atlanta, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Contracts For Austin Reaves, Wenyen Gabriel To Be Guaranteed

January 6th, 2023 at 11:10am CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers will keep Austin Reaves and Wenyen Gabriel on their roster, guaranteeing their contracts for the remainder of the season, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Players with non-guaranteed deals have to be released by Saturday if teams want to avoid paying their full-season salaries.

Neither decision comes as a surprise, as both players have been consistent parts of the Lakers’ rotation. Reaves has started 12 games and is averaging 28.9 minutes per night, while Gabriel has made two starts and averages 14.4 minutes per game.

A second-year shooting guard, Reaves signed a two-way deal with L.A. in September of 2021 after going undrafted out of Oklahoma. That was converted to a regular contract before the start of last season, and Reaves responded with 7.3 PPG in 61 games as a rookie. His production has been even better this year, as his scoring is up to 10.8 PPG and his shooting numbers have improved to 48.8% from the field and 36% from three-point range.

Reaves, who will make $1.56MM this season, is headed for free agency in July. The Lakers can make him restricted with a $2MM qualifying offer.

Gabriel appears to have found a home with Los Angeles after playing for six teams during his first three NBA seasons. He signed a two-way contract with the Lakers last March and had it converted into a standard deal shortly before the end of the season.

L.A. picked up his second-year option in June, and Gabriel will earn $1.88MM this season. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

DeMarcus Cousins To Work Out For Lakers

January 6th, 2023 at 9:45am CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers will bring in former All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins for a workout sometime next week, sources tell Chris Haynes 0f Bleacher Report.

Cousins, who spent time with the Bucks and Nuggets last season, has been working out six days a week in Las Vegas in hopes of returning to the NBA, according to Haynes. He reportedly turned down a chance to play in Taiwan in late November.

The Lakers have been hoping to add a veteran big man to their roster, and that interest has increased in the wake of Anthony Davis‘ foot injury. Now that teams are permitted to sign players to 10-day contracts, that’s likely to be an avenue for Cousins to come to L.A. if he’s impressive in his workout.

Cousins signed with Milwaukee in November of last season, but he was waived in January before his contract became guaranteed. He inked three 10-day contracts with Denver before being signed for the rest of the season and averaged 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in 31 games as the primary backup for Nikola Jokic.

Davis continues to make progress toward a return, Haynes reports in the same story. According to Haynes’ sources, Davis plans to test the condition of his foot in an individual workout in a few days. He’s been suffering minimal pain as he goes through rehab, the sources add.

Davis hasn’t played since December 16, but the Lakers have managed to stay in the race for a play-in berth. They’re currently 12th in the West at 17-21, just a game-and-a-half away from 10th place. Thomas Bryant has been a capable replacement while Davis is out, and the addition of Cousins would provide even more depth in the middle.

The Lakers also held a workout Thursday with free agent shooting guard Tyler Dorsey, who was recently waived by the Mavericks, tweets Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports. General Manager Rob Pelinka and head coach Darvin Ham both attended the session to watch Dorsey, according to Peek.

Fischer’s Latest: Cavs, LeVert, Crowder, Okoro, Bogdanovic, More

January 5th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers would love to add a defensive-minded wing who is also a consistent shooting threat, but doing so won’t be easy, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. After acquiring Donovan Mitchell in the offseason, Cleveland no longer has any first-round picks available to trade, so landing a wing would probably require the club to move Caris LeVert and another rotation player, which isn’t an appealing prospect.

Fischer names Tobias Harris and Jae Crowder as a couple veterans who would make sense for the Cavaliers from an on-court perspective. However, Cleveland likely wouldn’t be able to put together a package for Harris that would entice the Sixers, and the Suns are seeking a “playoff-caliber player” in return for Crowder — if the Cavs had that sort of player available, they wouldn’t be in the market for another wing, Fischer writes.

Although LeVert might have to be included in a package for an upgrade on the wing, the Cavaliers still value his “high-character presence in the locker room,” per Fischer, and aren’t looking to move him, even if they’re open to discussing him. As the Cavs consider what sort of impact any potential target might have, LeVert will be the “comparative barometer,” says Fischer.

Here’s more from Fischer’s latest story:

The Cavaliers are still hopeful about Isaac Okoro‘s development into the sort of two-way wing they’re missing and he has a strong desire to remain in Cleveland, sources tell Fischer. The fifth overall pick in the 2020 draft, Okoro will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2023 offseason.
The Cavaliers are among the teams with interest in Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic, but Detroit has set a high asking price for Bogdanovic, according to Fischer. The team is believed to be seeking a first-round pick, plus either additional draft assets or a young player with upside. The Mavericks, Lakers, and Suns are among the other teams interested in Bogdanovic, Fischer adds.
Crowder, who is in the final year of his contract, is hoping to sign an extension similar to the three-year, $33MM deal P.J. Tucker got from Philadelphia this past summer, Fischer writes. The Suns‘ unwillingness to give Crowder that sort of deal is considered a factor in his decision to remain away from the team this season.
While forwards like P.J. Washington, Jalen McDaniels, and Kelly Oubre will draw interest from potential suitors, center Mason Plumlee appears to be the Hornets‘ most likely trade candidate, says Fischer. Moving Plumlee would open up more minutes for youngsters Mark Williams and Nick Richards at center.

Lakers Notes: Draft Picks, LeBron, Walker, Davis, Brown, Schröder

January 5th, 2023 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to Chris Mannix of SI.com on The Crossover NBA Show, SI.com’s Howard Beck observes that the Lakers‘ front office vowed after LeBron James signed an offseason extension to upgrade its 2022/23 roster, but now seems less inclined to trade the team’s 2027 and 2029 first-round picks for win-now pieces.

“I’ve heard rumblings, and these are only rumblings, I don’t want people to go too far with this or go crazy with the aggregation,” Beck said. “But a couple people around the league have told me in recent weeks that they believe that the front office has essentially been told not to trade the picks. That they’re guarding those.

“If that’s the case, that speaks to a couple things. One, you’re feeling pretty insecure about your future, post-LeBron. You think those picks are going to be so valuable in 2027 and 2029 that giving them up would be catastrophic for you. You’re also showing a lack of faith in your ability to trade those picks and find another way to rebuild in whatever the post-LeBron years are.

“You’re also indicating — again, if it’s true that they are just completely unwilling to put those picks on the table, then that means you’re also, by definition, willing to flush this season, because those are your best tools… for improving in the immediate term.”

Reports in recent months have indicated that the Lakers are only interested in moving both of those future first-round picks if there’s a deal that significantly improves their title chances. Anthony Davis‘ foot injury also reportedly lowered the chances that the club will trade one or both picks in a major trade, though if L.A. can stay in the play-in mix in the coming weeks and Davis returns later this month, perhaps the club will reconsider that stance at the February 9 trade deadline.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Head coach Darvin Ham said on Wednesday that he doesn’t expect either James (non-COVID illness) or Lonnie Walker (left knee soreness) to be out much longer, according to Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group. Ham stated that LeBron is dealing with a “common cold,” while Walker has “a little bit of tendonitis.”
Ham also shared a minor update on Davis’ recovery, indicating that everything is “going right according to plan,” Goon adds. The Lakers have been conducting continuous MRIs on Davis’ injured foot and he hasn’t experienced any setbacks in his recovery process.
Lakers wing Troy Brown left Wednesday’s game due to a left quad strain and didn’t return, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. The club has yet to issue an update on Brown’s status going forward, so it’s unclear whether he’ll miss additional time.
With the Lakers already shorthanded due to injuries, Dennis Schröder was determined to stay in Wednesday’s game after rolling his right ankle in the fourth quarter, McMenamin writes for ESPN.com. Schröder not only finished the game — he scored a season-high 32 points and helped lead the Lakers to an improbable win over Miami. “I just try to be there for my teammates,” he said. “I felt pretty good after (turning the ankle). Of course, it was sore, and it hurt. But I know my limits.”
Schröder was one of several Lakers on minimum-salary contracts to play a major role in the victory, alongside Thomas Bryant (21 points, nine rebounds), Austin Reaves (11 points), and Wenyen Gabriel (10 points). “I just think different guys are settling into their roles, getting more comfortable with more reps, more minutes,” Ham said, per McMenamin. “When we do get our big dogs back, whether it’s Bron, AD, both of them back — Lonnie, as well — it just makes us that much stronger, that much deeper, because now guys have confidence. They have the ultimate confidence because they’ve gotten the reps.”

Health Updates: LeBron, Walker, Prince, Bucks, SGA

January 4th, 2023 at 4:04pm CST by Luke Adams

LeBron James has been helping to keep the Lakers in the play-in race, averaging 36.6 points per game on 58.5% shooting during the club’s 3-2 road trip that wrapped up on Monday.

However, James won’t be available when the Lakers return home and host the Heat on Wednesday. He has been ruled out for the game due to a non-COVID illness, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Lakers guard Lonnie Walker will also miss his third consecutive contest, McMenamin adds. Previously listed as out due to a tailbone contusion, Walker is now on the injury report with left knee soreness.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Timberwolves forward Taurean Prince intends to make his return to action on Wednesday night vs. Portland, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Prince, who was dealing with a right shoulder subluxation, last played on November 23 — he has missed Minnesota’s last 20 games.
After playing on Tuesday night vs. Washington, Jrue Holiday (non-COVID illness) and Joe Ingles (left knee injury management) have been ruled out for the second half of the Bucks‘ back-to-back set on Wednesday in Toronto, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Khris Middleton (right knee soreness) and George Hill (non-COVID illness) will also remain sidelined.
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed Tuesday’s game due to a non-COVID illness, but he’s not on Wednesday’s injury report, so it appears he’ll be available tonight in Orlando, tweets Rylan Stiles of Locked on Thunder.

Injury Updates: Beal, Martin, Bol, Gilgeous-Alexander, James

January 3rd, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bradley Beal returned to action on Tuesday after missing three games due to left hamstring soreness. However, the Wizards’ franchise player aggravated the injury and didn’t finish out the game, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington tweets.

We have more injury news:

The Hornets’ Cody Martin is listed as questionable to play against Memphis on Wednesday, Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Martin played one minute in the season opener, then was sidelined by a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery in November, but it appears he’s on the verge of returning.
Magic big man Bol Bol was placed in the league’s health and safety protocols on Tuesday, according to Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel. He will miss Wednesday’s home contest against the Thunder and possibly more games beyond that.
Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed the team’s game against Boston on Tuesday due to a non-COVID illness, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman tweets. Oklahoma City did just fine without him, setting a franchise record with 150 points.
LeBron James is listed as questionable to play against Miami on Wednesday due to left ankle soreness, Jovan Buha of The Athletic tweets. The Lakers’ superstar scored 43 points in 40 minutes against Charlotte on Monday.

Walker Misses Second Straight Game

January 2nd, 2023 at 5:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lonnie Walker IV will miss his second straight game on Monday against the Hornets because of a tailbone contusion, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets. Walker is averaging 14.7 points in his first season with the Lakers.

Lakers Respond To LeBron James' Comments

January 2nd, 2023 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers players are responding to the challenge LeBron James delivered last week when he said he doesn’t want to “finish my career playing at this level, from a team aspect,” per Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. “I actually appreciate the pressure, I like the pressure,” Juan Toscano-Anderson said. “I know what championship basketball looks like, I know what high-level basketball looks like. That’s what they expect. … You gotta step up to the plate. It’s a man’s game.”